Conductive hybrid nanofibers self-assembled with three different amphiphilic salts

Upon supramolecular self-assembly, novel conductive hybrid nanofibers were successfully fabricated using three amphiphilic salts, azopyridinium, aniline hydrochloride, and alkylbenzenesulfate-based anionic surfactants. The interactions like π-π stacking and ionic bonding among the different compounds played important roles in preparation of these multicomponent hybrid nanofibers. These were demonstrated by measurements of XRD, UV-vis absorption, and FTIR spectra. Interesting conductivity in an order of magnitude of 1 × 10(-7) to 1 × 10(-5) S/cm was observed in films of the fabricated hybrid nanofibers, which was attributed to the existence of freely movable ions, showing their possible applications as bionanomaterials and nanoelectronic devices. The fabrication processes of the conductive nanofibers might provide references for simulation of nerve fibers in nature.